Assistive Technology Lab: Need, importance and relevance in promoting functional equivalence and welfare for persons with disabilities in educational institutes in developing countries
Abstract
The present study is aimed at understanding the need and importance of Assistive Technology (AT) Laboratory in universities and colleges providing education in the area of disability studies, especially in developing countries like India. The study adopted a mixed research method to collect data from 30 participants, and the analysis reveals that the AT lab promotes access to available devices, creates awareness and promotes welfare of PwDs and CwDs, paving the way for their inclusion and functional equivalence.
Key words: Assistive Technology, Assistive
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The following uses of AT laboratory came into view when the data collected and the suggestions given by respondents were carefully analyzed.
The following range of services provided to PwDs/ CwDs through the At Lab are as following:
Availability of services regarding usage, handling and management of assistive devices
Training services for parents, CwID, PwID, parents, family, teachers, rehabilitation professionals, therapists
Awareness generation regarding disabilities, their nature, causes and prevention measures impact on the lives of PwDs/ CwDs through the usage of posters, pamphlets, charts, pictures etc displayed within the laboratory.
Dissemination of information regarding the availability of various assistive devices, assistive services
The training given in AT labs helps to develop the following skills:
1) Increased awareness regarding impact of various Disabilities on areas like employment, education and daily
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It acts as a center for specialized training in handling, usage and maintenance of such devices and also can act as a resource center for selling or making such devices available to the target group. It can help to remove misconceptions from the minds of the users and also can be an affordable option for promoting awareness, dissemination of information and bringing technology in the lives of PwDs in developing countries.
Reference
Booklet on Assistive Technology in the workplace for people with disabilities- an initiative by the National Disability coordination officer program. (2014). Australia: Deakin University
Mittler, J.(2007). Assistive Technology and IDEA. In C.Warger (Ed.) Technology Integration- providing access to the curriculum for students with disabilities. Arlington: Technology and Media Division
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She wrote articles about special education, and mental health problems and solutions. She used her own experience to show that assistive technology is a good resource for students who face challenges in their daily life. Assistive technology has helped her become successful by allowing her to continue with her studies. She shows us that she didn’t give up and found alternatives in order to keep attending school.
Home Care Assistant/Aide Heath Care workers help patients that may be physically or mentally ill, injured or disabled. Home care workers can live with the patient, work on weekends or week days. Home Care Assistant are always up on their feet they have tom complete all the hard work the patient cannot do. Home Care Assistant may receive some irritation and disorientation from the patient.
Our school always provides an option for students to receive individualized direct instruction in reading, math or language arts for those that need a more personal learning experience. - Technology-based learning. Ronald Reagan Middle School integrates today’s technology into our classroom curriculum. Students have a top of the line technology lab, equipped with IPad and other technology based products that students with disabilities can utilize. Our teachers are knowledgeable in designing, developing, evaluating, and integrating technology-based learning within our classroom.
I work with patients that have suffered various types of neurological deficits such as stroke, brain tumor, aneurysm and traumatic brain injury. Many times these patients have lost function of a limb or have suffered some sort of communication impairment. Once the patient has overcome the dangers of the illness it is part of my responsibility to help them regain their independence by teaching them self-care activities. This often involves adjusting their surrounding environment in ways that help them help themselves. E.
Occupational therapists use knowledge of sensory integration in planning and adapting activities for individuals with disabilities to achieve the desired outcomes. A routine of organized sequences of five stages reestablish the likelihood of an automatic, habitual response as well as restore environmental interaction for impaired individuals. Since the OBRA-87 requires nursing home to create individualized care plans for residents to focus on maintain and improving the ability to walk and complete ADLs, the five stages method is one of the treatment methods can be used by occupational therapy practitioners to focus on maintain and improving the ability to walk and complete ADLs, the five stages method is one of the treatment methods can be used by occupational therapy practitioners to facilitate balanced healthy routines in institutional care settings. It helps clients to achieve the greater ability in ADLs and decrease disruptive behaviors throughout the day. In addition, it helps clients to shift an attitude from “I can’t” to “I can” in order to improve quality of life, happiness, and
The change from an institutional setting to a more community based setting shows a change in the attitude and believe about individuals with disabilities. Since their emancipation from institutions more than 40 years ago, the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities to participate in society have been increased with opportunities for full inclusion. The concept of inclusion encompasses both acceptance and respect. Children and adults are at risk of experiencing social exclusion and discrimination associated with their disability. While physical inclusion through accessibility change occurs, there is a lack of “feeling” a part of the community, which has some individuals with disabilities calling to action the need for social emotional inclusion.
It is important that someone with a disability be given an opportunity to participate in activities like anyone without any form of discrimination. We need to be as accommodative as possible. Another consideration is making sure that the emotional and physical needs are being meet so they are given the same opportunities as people who do not have disabilities. Physical and emotional wellbeing are important for a person’s functionality. It is ethically important that we are able to participate in work, education, society
In this report I will discuss both the Social and Medical Models, define their pros and cons and give a short reflection on my own opinion of the two models in everyday use today. Both the medical and the social models of disability describe how they see disability and how they feel disabilities and those suffering should be treated. Both models have very different views on the causes of, how disabilities should be taken care of and by whom and both have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to caring for those with disabilities. Medical Model
The responsibilities that come with caring for a disabled patient are huge. Their quality of life depends on
Accessibility is a concept that essentially applies to the customization of products, services, appliances and environments in a way that enables them to be used by people who have various types of disabilities. Effectively speaking, these products and services are designed in such a manner that enables people with special needs to gain both ‘direct’ as well as ‘indirect’ access to them. At the same time, the benefits of accessibility also extend to a wider category of individuals such as senior citizens and medical patients. Assistive technology is a term that is closely associated with the concept of accessibility. For instance, the application of assistive technology is what makes electronic equipment such as computer screen readers accessible to all categories of end users, including those with disabilities or special needs.
Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress. Working together is success” (Brainy Quote). From here, the concept of inclusive education, including students with and without learning disabilities as peers in the same classroom, originated. The aim of this type of education is to get students with learning disabilities involved in the society. Teachers and fellow students will also provide help for students with disabilities; in this way, students with learning disabilities will be motivated to study as they feel that they are a part of a group instead of being isolated in special places.
Also, assistive technology would increase speech skills and physical therapy can help student interaction. “individuals with Disabilities Education Act require school districts to consider assistive technology for all children with Scalia need as a vehicle to access the general education curriculum”().Individual Education program focus on tools and services that will help enhance children functional; capabilities. “Assitive service is any service that assists a child with a disability in the selection of an assistive technology .Such terms include,evulation of child needs in functional evaluation, providing assistive
The report further argued that the disability prevalence is higher for developing countries with about one-fifth of the estimated global total experiencing significant disabilities (6). In South Africa disability is concern and most disabled people face major physical and attitudinal barriers in their communities. Prevalence estimates disabled persons vary considerable between and within nations, and in many countries data on disabled children is lacking especially in low income countries (7). In South Africa the National Disability prevalence is estimated at 7, 5%, and disability is more prevalent amongst the elderly and females as compared to male counterparts (8, 3% and 6, 5% respectively). The prevalence of specific type of disability shows that 11% of persons aged five years and older had seeing difficulties, 4,2% had cognitive difficulties, 3,6% had hearing difficulties, and about 2% had communication, self-care and walking
Disabled people are people who have mental or physical limitation so they depend on someone to support them in doing their daily life needs and jobs. Although disabled people are a minority and they are normally ignored, they are still a part of the society. The statistics show that the proportion of disabled people in the world rose from 10 percent in the seventies of the last century to 15 percent so far. The number of handicapped exceeds a billion people all over the world, occupied about 15 percent of the world's population, as a result of an aging population and the increase in chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, blood and psychological diseases that are related with disabilities and impairments. Every five seconds someone
129).The model implies to cure, change or fix the individuals, especially when it is discriminatory and prejudiced and against the wishes of the disabled person. The problem or disability is caused by the way society responds to the needs of the disabled person. It recognizes that people with impairments are disabled by the barriers, prejudice and exclusion by society. Thus all the things that impose restrictions on disabled people ranging from individual prejudice to institutional discrimination, from inaccessible public buildings to unusable transport systems, from segregated education to excluding work arrangements, and so on’ (Oliver 1996a p 33). Thus, changes in social attitudes, social support, information, physical structures is required because